UCLA vs. UVA

Should I go to University of California Los Angeles or University of Virginia Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UCLA or UVA is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

William & Mary UC Berkeley UCI UCSD UNC Chapel Hill Michigan USC JMU Stanford Virginia Tech UCSB University of Richmond
University of California Los Angeles vs. University of Virginia Main Campus comparison
University of California Los Angeles University of Virginia Main Campus College 3 College 4
University of California Los Angeles University of Virginia Main Campus
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 UCLA UVA
Location Los Angeles, CA Charlottesville, VA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 46,430 26,082
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #58 #59
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucla.edu virginia.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UCLA UVA
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $16,980
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $51,870
Room & Board $17,231 $12,890
Avg Net Price $16,999 $19,469
Avg Grant Aid $21,766 $26,818
% Receiving Grant Aid 46% 34%

Admission

 UCLA UVA
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 149,801 50,926
Admitted 12,845 9,503
Acceptance Rate 8.6% 18.7%
Enrolled % 50.3% 42.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.92 3.85
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Very High
ACT Range 29/35 32/34
SAT Range 1300/1530 1400/1540
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2024

Academics

 UCLA UVA
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • History (7%)
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

 UCLA UVA
Graduation Rate 90% 94%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $70,700 $77,200
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 86%
Median Student Loan Debt $16,300 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $168 $201

Diversity

 UCLA UVA
% Men 43% 45%
% Women 57% 55%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 27% 60%
% Black 3% 6%
% Hispanic 21% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 5%
% International 13% 5%
% Unknown Race 2% 6%

Students

 UCLA UVA
% In-State 77% 62%
% Out-of-State 15% 33%

Campus

 UCLA UVA
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of California Los Angeles is larger than than UVA based on total student enrollment (46,430 students vs. 26,082 students)

UCLA vs. UVA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCLA or UVA?

  • University of Virginia Main Campus is 46.8% more expensive to attend than UCLA for in-state tuition ($16,980.00 vs. $11,564.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 24.6% higher at UVA than University of California Los Angeles ($51,870.00 vs. $41,636.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Los Angeles than UVA ($16,999 vs. $19,469)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Virginia Main Campus are 33.7% lower than costs at University of California Los Angeles ($12,890 vs. $17,231)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Los Angeles than University of Virginia Main Campus (46% vs. 34%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Virginia Main Campus students is 23.2% larger than aid received University of California Los Angeles ($26,818 vs. $21,766)

UCLA vs. UVA Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UCLA or UVA? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UVA or UCLA .

  • The average SAT score at University of Virginia Main Campus (1364) is 25 points higher than at UCLA (1339)
  • Incoming UCLA students have at the same average ACT score (31) as students at UVA (31)
  • Accepted freshman UCLA students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.92) than students at UVA (3.85)
  • UVA has a higher acceptance rate (18.7%) than UCLA (8.6%)

UCLA vs. UVA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCLA or UVA? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between UVA and UCLA.

  • The graduation rate at UVA is higher than University of California Los Angeles (94% vs. 90%)
  • Graduates from University of Virginia Main Campus earn on average $6,500 more per year than UCLA graduates after ten years. ($77,200 vs. $70,700)
  • University of California Los Angeles students graduate with a $3,200 lower median federal student loan debt than UVA graduates. ($16,300 vs. $19,500)
  • UCLA graduates are paying $33 less per month on federal student loans than UVA graduates. ($168 vs. $201)
  • More UVA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UCLA students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 78%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/